Base-ball-game indicator



(No Model) 8.1%. OROWDER. BASE BALL GAME INDICATOR.

Patented Aug. 27,1895.

UNTTED STATES PATENT EETcE.

SAMUEL OROWDER, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

BASE-BALL-GAME INDICATOR.

SFEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 545,270, dated August 27, 1895.

Application filed \Tune 4, 1895. Serial No. 551,633. (No model) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL R. CHOWDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Richmond, in the county of Henrico and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and. usef ul Improvements in Apparatus for Illustrating a Game of Base-Ball, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for illustrating to an audience the progress of a game of base-ball at a distance from the place where the game is being played; and it relates particularly to improvements upon the device for which I have filed an application, Serial No. 532,329, filed December 19, 1894.

The invention consists in the novel combination and construction of parts hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a face view of my improved board for illustrating the game. Fig. 2 is a detail View of one of the symbols or players and its supporting device. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the supporting device, and Fig.4 is a detail of a modification of the supporting device.

Referring to the various parts by letters, a designates the board representing the field upon which the game is to be played, which is supported by any suitable means in an inclined position, as shown in Fig. 2. By means of the connected slots 0, cut through the board a, the diamond is formed, and leading from the home-base and connecting with slots 0 at that point are the three radiating slots d f e, which lead, respectively, to the left field, right field, and center field and intersect the slots forming the diamond. At the outer ends of these slots at, e, and f, and connected therewith, are enlarged openings 0, and extendinglaterally from these openings at right angles to the main slots are short slots g. Extending outwardly from the first and third bases are short slots h, into which the players are moved when they take their places, and extending transversely of the field from the second base are short slots 71 and j. Into one of these slots 2' the short-stop is moved to his position and into the other one j the second-baseman is moved to hisposition. Ex-

tending transversely of the field from the first to the third bases, and intersecting the diamond-slots and the field-slots, is a slot to il-- lustrate the movement of the ball from the pitcher to these bases. This slot extends for a short distance beyond the bases and terminates at its ends in enlarged openings 70. Extending rearwardly from the home-base, and forming practically a continuation of the center-field slot, is a catchers slot Z, which slot terminates in an enlarged opening Z. From this slot, about midway its ends, extend transverse slots m 'm, and these slots connect at their outer ends with slots n n, into which the players are'placed While awaiting their turn at the bat. These slots at n terminate at one of their ends in enlarged openings at n.

The object of providing the enlarged openings at the ends of the main slots is that the players may be quickly placed in their proper position upon the field and removed therefrom when the sides change places. They are also of advantage in permitting a player who is put out at one of the bases to be readily removed from the field.

The figures or symbols with which the game is illustrated are each carried upon the upper end of a rod 0, the lower end of said rod extending through a slot in the board a and carrying a counterbalancing-weight p at its lower end. Secured upon this rod in a position to bear upon the upper surface of the board a. is a friction-block g, which may be of any suitable material, preferably rubber, and which serves to hold the figures upon the inclined board a. This block may be pivotally connected to the rod, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, or it may surround the rod and be rigidly secured thereto, as shown in Fig. 4:. The block may be of any suitable form which will extend across the slots in the board a, and it may be of any suitable material which the weight 13 will cause to frictionally engage the inclined board and hold the symbols in their placed position.

By pivoting the block, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the symbol may be swung from side to side while it is suspended in position, the block remaining stationary upon the board.

By supporting the symbol of the players upon the upper surface of the board a, they may be moved about their point of support ICO in any desired direction by an operator beneath the board, and the game be thereby made more realistic, as the players may be caused to make side plays, slides, jumps for fly balls, (Sac.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is 1. In an apparatus for illustrating a game of base ball the combination of a board provided With slots which form the diamond, and one or more short slots connected to these slots at one or more bases and extending at right angles to the adjacent diagonal line of the diamond, substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus for illustrating a game of base ball an inclined support having a series of slots therein to indicate the field, a series of symbols working in said slots, each symbol carrying a bar Which extends through one of the slots and carries a weight at its lower end, and a friction-block carried by the bar and adapted to engage the support upon its upper surface whereby the symbols will be held in their placed position and be maintained in a vertical position, substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus for illustrating a game, the combination of an inclined board having a series of slots therein, a symbol working in said slots, said symbol consisting ot a bar adapted to pass through the slots in the board, a figure secured to its upper end, a weight sooured to its lower end and'a pivoted friction block carried by said bar and adapted to bear upon the upper surface of the board, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

4c. In an apparatus for illustrating a game of base-ball the combination of a board provided with slots to indicate the field, the outer ends of a suitable number of said slots terminating in enlarged openings, and a series of symbols working in said slots and adapted to be passed through the eniarged openings at the outer ends of said slots, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I at'tix my si nature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL It. CHOWDER.

Witnesses:

.T. M. CLINT, G. C. CIIAIPIN. 

